Do you ever feel lethargic, out of sorts or even depressed after eating too much of your favorite foods? I sure know I do! Today we had a team lunch appreciation where we celebrated with pizza. Yes it was amazing, tasted so yummy and I couldn't seem to get enough. Within just an hour I began to feel all the symptoms from overeating and for the rest of the day the symptoms only got worse.
If you don't believe by how much of what you eat impacts how you think, how your body functions and your emotions you truly have never experienced a clean eating way of life. Since I have been eating salads every day for lunch over the past 4 years, I know just by eating one bad lunch can really throw off the rest of my day. Here’s how this one bad meal really took what was supposed to be a great ride on my bike and turned it into the ride of “De Sucko”
Today was hot and it doesn’t help that exhaustion is starting to settle in from working non-stop the past few weeks, but add in a bad meal and my training quickly became a disaster.
My goal for the night was to get in a 30mile ride, add in 6 sets of intervals and be able to keep working at pedaling faster with more power. I may be strong in the gym with being able to leg press 360lbs and deadlift 225lbs, but training on a bike is a whole new ball game for me and to be honest I feel very week & vulnerable.
Right off the start the ride turned into a wreck. First I felt about 20lbs heavier the minute I got on. Amazing how much one meal can weigh you down. At the first stop I totally was not thinking, my mind was wandering and sure enough lost my balance and hit the ground hard. Now I just got my bike serviced two days ago and the thought of having to show my face in the Trek shop again sickens me! So less than a mile into the ride I shifted the shifters (if this is even the correct lingo) and the bike seems to be riding ok, but who am I to think so! Not only am I embarrassed to show my face in the shop again, I fell hard right behind 3 real deal cyclist…talk about humiliating! These guys at least were considerate and checked on me, but wow was I embarrassed. See my mind was so foggy from the pizza food coma. How could I fall from something you do all the time on a bike…STOP!
The ride was brutal. I had no motivation, struggled at even getting in 3 intervals and at times my speed felt as fast as speed walking. Between feeling heavier, falling, embarrassment, lack of motivation, fatigue, and now road bun on my knee, I can honestly say the ride just sucked. I understand not all workouts can be your best, but what I do know is I am usually motivated, work to achieve goals and have more energy when I exercise. The point to my very long story is if you are trying to loose weight, achieve goals and work hard, you must first evaluate what you are feeding your body. If this is how it feels to be overweight or obese from the constant overeating, this is no way to live life. Do something for yourself today and eat to live, not live to eat! Your mind, body, emotions and energy levels will give you a high like no other.
I still made the best of my ride and was able to get in 22.80miles, rode for 1hr 21min and kept my avg. moving speed at 17.28mph. This did not reach the goal I set out to achieve today, but at least I did it & still worked hard enough to burn 840 calories. Who knows how my ride may have turned out had I stuck to my normal healthy salad for lunch? I hope you can use my day as proof that what you eat matters and does affect decisions, actions and emotions. Now what will you be eating for lunch tomorrow?
It's good you self motivated yourself to get the best out of your ride. When I attended some fitness classes Oakville based, the trainer taught me that without motivation and commitment, you can never achieve what you've targeted yourself. It's normal that sometimes you don't feel up to your self-imposed challenge, but that doesn't mean you can't give the best you are able to.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joesph for sharing a great reminder about self motivation! You are so right, we all have limitations, but that doesn't mean give up it means just keep working hard! Working hard physically is of course important, but working hard mentally is even more important! Sticking to a clean eating lifestyle will help you to achieve those physical goals:)
ReplyDeleteA healthy mind in a healthy body. What more can one want? Living healthy is easy... if you really want it.
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